Borehole explosive charge retainer



March 15, 1955 C. A. TAYLOR CHARGE RETAINER BOREHOLE EXPLOSIVE FiledMarch Clifford A. Taylor United rates Patent EQREHOLE EXPLOSIVE CHARGERETAINER Clifford A. Taylor, Dallas, Tex assignor of one-half to FrancesAndrews Taylor, Dallas, Tex.

Application March 26, 1951, Serial No. 217,547

6 Claims. ((11. 102-21.8)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in boreholeexplosive charge retainers.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved borehole chargeretainer arranged to be engaged around the explosive charge and actingto securely hold the charge container at the desired elevation againstupward movement in the borehole.

A further object is to provide an improved charge retainer made ofplastic material, whereby it is a nonconductor of electrical currents,inexpensive, pliable, and is so formed as to provide a positiveanchoring means capable of resisting any upward pull sufficient to moveit upwardly in the hole.

Another object is to provide an improved charge retainer including twomembers having means for securely fastening them around an explosivecharge container and equipped with outwardly and upwardly directedwallengagmg wings.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of a borehole with anexplosive charge supported therein by a charge retainer constructed inaccordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on theline 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the retainer, partly in elevation andpartly in vertical section, and b Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one ofthe retainer mem ers.

In the drawing, the numeral designates a yokeshaped retaining member ofwhich two are employed to provide a retainer. Each member includes asemi-circular base band 11 having an external peripheral bead 12 at itslower edge. The upper edge 14 of each band is merged into a transverselycurved and outwardly directed shank 15. The latter is reducedtransversely toward its upper portion which is curved outwardly andmerged into an upwardly inclined prong or wing 16. Each wing isgradually reduced in width toward its upper outer end 17 whichpreferably is blunt. Each member has an inwardly directed, triangularprong or tongue 18 struck therefrom at the intermediate, upper portionof its band 11 below the shank 15.

The members 10 are assembled ends around an ex plosive charge 20 betweenthe ends of the usual fragile tubes 19. The tongues 18 are forcedthrough the jacket 21 of the charge 20 and are embedded therein, as isbest shown in Fig. 3, so that the bands 11 encircle and snugly embracethe charge. There are vertical spaces 22 between the ends of the bands11 and the jacket 21 is pliable enough to permit these bands to bepressed together sufliciently to allow an annular fiat element or ring23 to be pushed upwardly over the beads 12 and engaged around the bands.When in position, the lower edge of the ring rests on the beads and hasits upper edge approximately at the upper edge of the bands. Sufficientinternal pressure is exerted against the bands to hold them in the ring.

Electrical firing lines 24 extend into the well bore A and are passedbetween the jacket 21 and the inner face of one of the shanks and thenceout through an opening 25 formed by the cutting of the tongue 18. It isnoted that the opening 25 is sufiiciently large to permit the passagetherethrough of a detonator 26 connected to the lower ends of the lines24. The lines overlie the ring 23 and are tied or looped in a half hitcharound the jacket. The detonator 26 is forced through the jacket andembedded in the charge in the usual manner. As shown in Fig. 1, the ends17 of the wings 16 dig into the wall of the well bore upon upwardmovement of the retainer, or catch in cavities of a hard formation. Itis obvious that pulling upwardly on the lines 24 does not lift theretainer due to the engagement of the wings with the bore wall. TheseKings may also act to suspend the charge 20 in the boreole.

The wings are flexible enough to permit the charge to be forced down theborehole. The borehole is filled preferably with water. Since it isfrequently necessary to leave a charge in a borehole for a period oftime, the danger of someone removing or raising the charge to adangerous position is eliminated by the retainer. The entire retainer ismade of suitable material such as plastic, which is dielectric,non-corrosive, inexpensive and which may be readily molded or otherwiseformed.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof andvarious changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in thedetails of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A borehole charge retainer including, yoke-shaped non-metallicmembers, each member including a semicircular band at its bottom, ashank integral with the band and extending upwardly and outwardly fromthe upper portion of said band, the shank having an upwardly andoutwardly directed wing integral therewith, and a nonmetallic ringsurrounding the bands of the members, whereby a dielectric non-corrosiveretainer is provided.

2. A borehole charge retainer as set forth in claim 1, wherein each bandhas a bead along its bottom supporting the ring.

3. A borehole charge retainer as set forth in claim 1, wherein each bandhas an inwardly directed tongue integral therewith and below its shank.

4. A wholly plastic borehole charge retainer including, separate unitaryupright members, each member comprising a single one-piece structureincluding an arcuate base shaped to engage partially around an explosivecharge with a shank integral with the base and directed upwardlytherefrom and provided with an integral outwardly directed terminalprong for engaging in a borehole Wall, an inwardly projecting tongue oneach base adapted to penetrate and engage in an explosive charge, and aplastic ring engaging around the bases of the members for securing themaround an explosive charge with the prongs directed outwardly and freeto engage in the wall of a borehole.

5. A wholly plastic borehole charge retainer as set forth in claim 4,wherein at least one of the bands has an opening therein for the passageof an electric circuit wire therethrough from one side of the member.

6. A wholly non-metallic borehole explosive charge retainer including,separate unitary members, each member comprising a single one-piecenon-metallic flexible structure including an arcuate base shaped toengage partially around an explosive charge and a shank integral withthe base and directed upwardly therefrom, the shank having an upwardlyand outwardly directed terminal prong integral therewith for engaging ina borehole wall, and a non-metallic flexible ring surrounding the basesof the members for holding said bases around an explosive charge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS156,673 Peck Nov. 10, 1874 955,430 Pilkington Apr. 19, 1910 1,560,815Hill Nov. 10, 1925 1,610,012 Jordan Dec. 7, 1926 1,863,016 Krause June14, 1932 2,036,172 Gagnon Mar. 31, 1936 2,187,007 Barnes Jan. 16, 19402,529,763 Deputy et al. Nov. 14, 1950

